>> good afternoon, thank you for providing this wonderful forum. in 1998 and i served through 2000 eight. i have a vested interest in alaska. i have three kids, two step grandkids. i am pleased to be in the race with these fellow alaskans, think you. palin: i am sarah palin, thank you for being here on this beautiful alaska day, it is tough to be indoors on a day like this, thank you for being in the arena you are a participant, you are walking the walk, not just talking to -- talking the talk. you understand what the issues are, and we want someone in d.c. to build on rep. young: shoes. understanding that it is impossible to fill his shoes, i appreciate the opportunity to apply for a job. if you would have me as a representative of alaska's interests, it would be an honor of a lifetime. i also wanted think miss sweeney for being here, we love her, and she is wonderful for alaska. >> i am nick begich the third, how does a begich become a republican? i was raised in a christian school, i received a baylor university undergrad, later i went to indiana university where i picked up and nba with a focus on information technology sciences. i worked for a company for a few years and i decided that detroit and the surrounding area was not the best place for us to raise a family. my wife and i came back to alaska almost 20 years ago. i own a local software company. we are local in scope. i am invested in helping others grow businesses and enterprise through entrepreneurship. i believe that alaska has incredible potential and with the right leadership we can make an effective business case for alaska down in d.c.. >> i will give you one minute for these longer form questions, nick, i will start with you and that we will go down the road. although you are all in the race for the long-term general election, if you win the race you may not be there for the long-term. what is your first task that you hope to accomplish? >> i think the biggest problem facing our nation today is inflation. we have an administration who has no end to the wishlist list coming out of d.c.. you don't have the money necessary to pursue everything. one of the things that i believe we need to do, we need to unlock energy production within the united states to regain our energy position of dominus -- of dominance. i believe that alaska has a huge role to play and are national security, mineral security, and energy security. we need to make a strong business case for alaska to unlock the potential for our state as a solution to the crises that are facing our nation, chief of which is inflation. >> sarah palin. >> to win the war against president biden's anti-energy agenda. alaska needs to be the leaders in energy independence in america. we are the fort knox of america when you consider our fisheries, oil, all of our natural resources that god has provided us for the ethical use of mankind. alaska needs to be tapped into -- in the private sector especially, you know how they do it best. you understand worker safety, environmental productions, all of these things that we are proud of in alaska versus russia, saudi arabia, and iran. all of these countries that this administration believes we need to go hat in hand and asked to use their resources. it makes no sense. alaska is the leader on doing things right when it comes to developing resources, creating jobs, we can help secure the rest of america if we tap into our resources, if the government will get out of the way and allow alaska access to the privacy it needs. >> you mentioned at the tail end of the special election would be for a four month, very temporary, seat. for 10 years on the legislative body, i was very successful in passing legislation despite being in the minority. i realize that it takes more than four months to develop positive working relationships, but even though this is a lame-duck year for congress, this is -- there are things we still need to do. we need to make sure that $1.8 billion for the fort of anchorage is addressed. we have positive relationships to develop with other members of congress in order to impress upon them the importance of alaska's oil and gas resources and needing to be developed. providing america with more petroleum products will reduce inflation, it will help us get out of this recession that we are just now getting into. icom of course will work hard -- i, of course, will work very hard just as don did. i will make sure that alaskans get their fair share, and those are the priorities that i will be working on. i am interested in working on codifying into federal statute protection regarding roe v. wade. thank you. >> our next question, don young was known for working across the aisle and even breaking with his party if he knew what was good for alaska. partisan politics are hindering congress from properly functioning. what would you do to decrease partisan bickering? please be specific. >> i am -- i would of course work with the other side of the world -- work with the other side of the aisle. i have done that as governor and vice presidential candidate. i always always having to lock my party -- having to buck my party in one sense or another. i think that people understand that i am willing to stand up for the interest of the people that i serving. i will not be excessively partisan in hindering our ability to fight for what is right. if the other side will keep the discussion to the arena, with good ideas that will help hard-working alaskans, our families, our communities. i am not going to compromise my values, my ideals, when it comes to what public service is all about. in order to strike a deal, that leads to participation in the good old boys club. as an individual, hopefully in congress, i will do my part in being willing to work with the other side while not compromising any of alaska's best interest. >> partisan bickering, how will we reduce it? >> doing what is right is never about a party. it is about what is doing right for alaska and doing what is right for the nation. if that's -- if that means reaching across the aisle, don provided an example of that. i agree with sarah, we cannot compromise our values in the process. there is more common ground than we believe that there is or that we are told that there is. i believe, both sides of the aisle, have the best interest of the nation at heart. we need to find in -- we need to find those areas of common interest. we need to pass legislation in the interest of the american people and alaskans. some of that lies in mineral security, energy security, and when we look at how many of the minerals are mined around the world right now. take cobalt, cobalt is mined under conditions in the congo that are deplorable. child labor, info -- with no environmental and her words. we can do that right in alaska and we need a champion that can take that argument across the aisle and move some of these priority projects through that are for the good of the nation and the good of the state. >> what steps would you take to reduce partisan bickering? >> thank you, i served as a democrat for many years and i worked very well with my republican colleagues. i learned that you need 59 best friends in the alaska state legislature to be effective. i worked inside of the bush caucus, half of whom were republican. i realize now, alaska has one congressional seat, so i'm going to have to go from thinking of 50 nine best friends to 434 as friends. i understand why don needed to be there so many years to develop that positive relationship. i am not joking here, you cannot represent a rural district the size of oregon if you are looking at things through a partisan lens or partisan platforms. alaska certainly needs to work with every reasonable person that we can move our state forward and to move our nation forward regardless of party. i believe i walk that talk. i believe in respect on us -- respectfulness, and not using inflammatory language. you have my commitment. i will work in a bipartisan way, as i always have. but -- >> gas prices now average more than five dollars a gallon across the country. every family needs to fill up. what can be done quickly to development in u.s. and alaska, but besides production, any ideas for lower gas prices? >> i am infinitely aware of the petroleum product cost across alaska. we can all attest, our discretionary income is going down with petroleum going up three times as much. in rural parts, they are paying three times as much is what we pay here in anchorage. alaska can be part of the national solution. oil and gas in alaska has the smallest environmental impact in the world. it will be my job to articulate reasonable oil and gas development to our nation. we also need to tap into renewable energy. i know that is a question coming up, i don't think it is either or, it needs to be both. i really believe, we need to find ways to get our natural gas , using our natural gas resources as well as our oil resources. thank you. >> do you want to go down the line, ms. palin? >> five dollars a gallon is absolutely appalling. i blessed with the income to be able to afford to fill up my truck. to look around at so many alaskans who are not in the same conditions that i, i went to work for those people to make sure that they can put food on their tables. we had an argument driving in from anchorage today from the valley. who is going to drive? my truck cost $140. my little car is better on gas, but what if we headed moose -- what if we hit a moose? that's the sign of a true alaskan, i took a moose out of season. it's all about access to our natural resources. there is access to our supply but with the government will end -- we are not going to allow federal lands to be tapped into. biden says that by 2030, natural lands will be locked up, we won't be able to access. we need to ask congress to make decisions, because our president won't. >> what can be done quickly to increase oil and gas production, or what are some other ideas you have to lower gas prices? >> well, out the gate, we can improve the will of projects. that is 150 barrels a day through the pipeline, that is something we need to do right away. we need to release federal lands so that we can lease those lands again. these are immediate actions that can be taken. at the end of the day, it seems as though the biden administration has been disconnected from the real problems that americans have. middle income families are suffering right now because of the cost of food, fuel, housing which are all rising. people are changing the decisions that they are making. should they go to the grocery stores? they are combining it to one trip. should they take their kids to soccer practice? should they do these things that before were not even a thought. the biden administration needs to reconnect with everyday americans and make sure that they are doing everything that they can do to lower the cost of energy. energy costs enter into every economic activity that we have in this nation, by failing to do so, they failed the american people. >> let's start with you. a move toward renewable energy is underway around the world. activists are calling for more sources of renewable energy. recognizing that we are the state with the largest oil and gas production, what renewable energy projects do you foresee going forward? >> there are a lot of renewable energy projects that alaska can participate in. it is a false narrative that many are participating in, saying that we can jump into renewable energy economy right now. that's false is speaking. it is going to take years and years until we are absolutely transitioned into renewable energy resources. that are tapped into and created to energize our country. in the meantime, we need to have responsible resource development projects that alaska is known for. we need to make sure that we are educating those around the country and around congress, you need to have good connections with people in congress to educate them and let them know how important it is. we can develop what we have today. that is reality. do you remember when alaska was applying 15-18% of u.s. domestic energy? we have accrued flowing down the pipeline. now we are doing 400,000 barrels a day. the resources they are. we need the allowance by government to tap into it and slow that crude down in order to sustain us, make us sovereign, our nation, and from there go with renewable projects. >> which renewable projects do you foresee being useful going forward? >> alaska has north america's largest graphite deposit. there is the project down near haynes that provides mineral necessary for renewable energy. there is a lot going out -- on out there did -- this year. we have all the resources that we need in this nation to have a domestic, vertically integrated supply chain. from robbery source all the way to production. we need to develop those resources. alaska, again we have the answer to alaska's renewable energy question. right now, we are heavily reliant on china and nations abroad to ring these resources to us. it weighs on our ability to negotiate in foreign policy as a result. we need to make sure that alaska's resources are properly represented in d.c. and that people understand what is possible up here. we need to have an advocate for those resources as we move forward. >> i mentioned this a moment ago, i do support nubile energy and the develop -- i do support renewable energy and the development of it. the amount of diesel that they have been able to displace in terms of home heating, and even -- it's a proven success story. i support -- excuse me, i know that alaska is a leader in microgrids. we have 200 microgrids in alaska. there are a lot more technologies that are off-the-shelf, and consumers can access them with a lot more ease. people think of alaska as cold and dark. we have all been enjoying our great state. we have wind, solar, and geothermal, i believe that anchorage has done a good job with putting solar panels and. i know we are a leader in this field, and we can get stronger if we stay committed to this. >> we will go nick, mary, sarah. the court of alaska is one of alaska's most important infrastructure. the -- the port of alaska is one of alaska's most important infrastructures. the port must obtain federal permits before construction can begin. this rehabilitation has been a priority as long as i have been on the board. where does rehabilitation rank in your funding priorities and how will you secured funding to rebuild the port and accelerate the port building process. >> when you look at the port of alaska, you are talking about critical infrastructure for security for alaskans, uninterrupted economic activity in the state, and ensuring that we can continue to execute our national security mission in alaska. one of the challenges that we see with respect to the port, we know that this is a single point of failure for the state. that is also a risk. we need to look at additional investments that will address that single point of failure in alaska. that includes places like homer, sumer, nome. it includes opening the state to international rails, including canada. it includes allowing roads to access a greater portion of alaska. we need to make infrastructure investments, and we need to make sure that the priority remains to repair the port. >> it is imperative -- i'm sorry. >> it doesn't matter. go ahead. >> see how polite she has, this is the way it should be in politics. it is imperative. we are talking about national security issues when it comes to alaska's support. the federal government spending is out of control, so it is not a matter of whether the federal government can provide funds for our port, they are spending money anyways. it is about priorities. when you talk about national security, that is a priority of national government. it is a matter of priority, if the structure is so critical early important, cooperating on funding the port. we need to leverage relationships that we have in congress, and educating constituents so that they can vote for the projects that we need, including the port. this is a top priority, i know, of so many people, especially in the private sector, for decades. we have been talking about it forever. it is time to actually take it on, it is imperative. >> anchorage is the center of the alaskan universe. the name, anchorage, says it all. the town's name is after the port of anchorage, the port is our origin story. all of our essential commodities come through that port. it is our legislative supply chain, it is about food security, and it is a heavy lift . we need everyone invested in this process. it is 1.6-1 point $8 billion. --1.6-1.8 billion dollars. we need to make sure that those but i just -- you know, even the logo of anchorage is about the port of anchorage. so this really is the priority infrastructure need for alaska at this time. >> thank you. mary i'm gonna have you go first , and then we'll go mary, nick, sarah, okay. following the most recent mass shootings in our country, which are sometimes daily, recent polling shows an increasing number of americans support some form of gun restrictions. what specific gun control measures, if any, do you support? mary: i am a strong advocate for second amendment rights. guns are very much -- they have been a part of my history. they're in every home in rural alaska, practically both for subsistence and for protection. but i am encouraged by the small amount of conversations that have been going on in d.c. i think it's critical as americans, that we get dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals, out of the hands of mentally ill, out of the hands of domestic violence perpetrators. certainly, there has to be a way that we can accomplish that task and maintain our second amendment rights. thank you. nick: well, i am also a very strong supporter of the second amendment. i believe that is foundational to the formation of our nation and is something that should be preserved. i do believe that we have a mental health crisis in our nation and it's something that we need to address, particularly among our nation's youth, and we need greater access to treatment for mental health issues, and we need to take a closer look at what the true root causes of many of these mass shootings are. they're devastating. as a father of a 10 year old son, i cannot even imagine what must go through the minds and the hearts of those affected by these mass shootings. we've got to do more to address some of the misunderstandings that are happening in this nation at an early age. we've got to do more on social media and address the effects that social media has to actually divide the country, rather than bring it together. and i think these are some challenges that we need to work on in a bipartisan fashion in the congress. but i'm a very strong supporter of our second amendment rights. sarah: as am i, and there is not another law that can be added to the books that will prohibit a bad guy from doing what the bad guy has set out to do. there isn't another law that can be added. look at the areas like baltimore and chicago where they have these sky-high death tolls from mass shooters, from shooters who don't abide by any law, and they're not going to, so look at the areas that -- not just the communities, the states that have more freedoms when it comes to self-protection. but look at organizations like the nra. i'm a lifetime member of the nra and i'm proud of that. and it's appalling when the nra is blamed for any kind of mass shooting. when is any law-abiding member of the nra ever been a part of any kind of mass shooting? organizations like that, what we're trying to do is protect and not infringe upon american liberties, upon rights that are bestowed us, that government cannot be taking away. i'll fight tooth and nail for any kind of movement, any kind of issue that results in any of our individual rights being taken away, and that includes the right to bear arms, to protect ourselves and our families. >> okay, next question. let's see, who wants to go first? okay, mary, you want to go first? no she said okay. >> okay, the economy is in rough shape. inflation is at 40-year highs and the threat of recession looms over the business community. what actions will you take in congress? we've talked about gas prices, we've talked about oil production, but what actions will you take in congress to get the economy back on the right track and help alaskans who are dealing with these challenges? mary: i think that the infrastructure bill that was passed was very good for alaska. i think that it's really important that we pace out those projects and those investments, so that we're not over charging the economy at once, you know, over stimulating the economy at once. i believe we need to reduce the federal deficit to take pressure off the money supply. we need to increase minim wage and index that to the cost of living. i think that's an important piece for working families. we need to get preschools -- it's hard. i know a lot of employers are finding it hard to get employees when they have child care issues, and we don't have broad-based preschool options for families. the federal government spends billions of dollars every year in alaska, and yet most alaskan businesses are not able to tap into that those billions of federal dollars. i will work to make federal spending in alaska as impactful as possible for our small businesses. >> go ahead, sarah. sarah: we need to fight and win the battle against like biden's 30 by 30 plan again. biden has set out to lock up 30 percent of our federal lands by the year 2030. and all that means is americans will be less and less accessible to their natural resources, and we're going to be more and more reliant on dangerous and dirty sources of energy from elsewhere. other countries are going to own america if we continue down the path that we're going. this all has to do with inflation and the economy. we also have to make sure that we fight and win the battle against the clean water act. there are provisions in that act that will prohibit construction projects in alaska, across america, when it comes to discharge in and out of even you can interpret some parts of the act, mud puddles, you guys, and some bureaucrat can interpret that as reason to shut down permits to be able to build this country. i would also fight to re-implement trump's tax cuts. the less tax we have, the more that you in the private sector, are able to keep and reinvest the fruits of your labor, to hire more people, to supply more of the needs in this country. all of that will chip away at the problem that we're facing. this oncoming recession, if we don't get a handle on this real soon. and we do have to control this out of control federal spending, again, countries are going to own us if we keep this up. >> nick begich, steps congress can take to get the economy back on the right track? nick: well, i think congress is directly responsible for the economy going off track in the first place. and it's been -- it's been my contention that when you spend at the levels and the rate at which congress has been spending, inflation is the natural result. what we've seen is an accommodative policy from the federal reserve, a monetary policy that is detrimental to the nation. as monetary velocity kicked up through the economy, we saw all of this free cash flowing through rapidly, chasing the same fixed number of goods and services, and in those situations, you're going to naturally get aninflationary result. we see now, that the fed is having to dramatically increase rates, which is restricting homeownership and restricting business investment as a result. and, you know, additionally, they're engaging in quantitative tightening, which means they're actually reducing now their $9 trillion dollar balance sheet that they accumulated. in fact, nearly 40% of all the money that circulates in the economy today was printed in the last two to three years. this is an abuse of the us dollar. it's an abuse of our international reserve currency status, and it's something that the congress needs to stand up and take a strong stand against. i don't think additional government spending is going to fix the problem. i think we've got to move back to confidence in the private sector and i think the private sector is going to be what actually gets us out of this inflationary environment. >> thank you, nick. we'll go ahead and start with you, because you have the mic. so last week the us supreme court overturned roe v wade, a law that many thought had been settled for the last 50 years. what is your reaction to what the supreme court did, and where do we go from here? please share your thoughts. nick: so my view is that under the 10th amendment, any powers not specifically enerated to the -- enumerated to the federal government are reserved for the states. we have a constitutional amendment process by which we may modify provisions related to this specific issue, but i think the court was correct in returning this issue to the states. and here in the state of alaska, as most of you are probably aware, our laws will not change at this time. it will now become the discussion for our state legislature. >> go ahead, sarah. sarah: i've been saying for years that roe versus wade was misguided in terms of where it landed in the federal government, that far off faces -- faceless bureaucrats in some bubble far away. they're going to make decisions for us as individuals and as a state, when it comes to an issue as important as abortion, no, it should be a states issue. so i agree with the supreme court and had looked forward to this for years and years, that finally, the state, the people through their representatives, their will will be done when it comes to this issue of abortion. let me talk real specifically in super just as candidly and short, on a personal level, how important i think it is that people are aware of what all is involved in the legislation when it comes to abortion. personally, i have a son with special needs. i was given that option of course, to end his life before it really even began. i was scared to death. it was the biggest challenge i'd ever faced in terms of not knowing if i was going to be able to handle the challenges society told me was coming, the child with special needs. what i have found, and i want other parents to be less afraid than i was when they find out, say, a diagnosis of a child with special needs, is what seems to be your life's greatest challenge, can turn into your life's greatest blessing. that has happened to me when i look at my son i know there's purpose in his life. there is a reason that he was born. and i just want others to understand that and not be so scared of what's ahead when they face an unexpected pregnancy. >> mary, your reaction to the roe v wade decision last week? mary: thank you, julie. i understand that 65% of alaskans are pro-choice. i personally, believe in a woman's right to her own reproductive health. one of the unfortunate elements of the histories of women who are in minorities, alaska native women, we have a history of women being sterilized against their knowledge and without their consent. reproductive rights are as personal of an issue as you could possibly get. i do not believe this is one area i do not believe the federal government, or for that matter, the state government, has say so in your personal body. i believe in -- and you know, alaska as a state legalized abortion before roe v wade was the law of the land. and i think it's important that now, post roe v wade, we need to also protect those rights, and i think this is especially important for women of color, minority women and women of low income. so i am in strong support of pro-choice and roe v. wade. >> thank you. next question, sarah, we'll start with you. with the expansion of the tanker force at eielson air force base last year, alaska has become one of the largest concentration of u.s military forces. alaska has long been lauded for its strategic relevance and the ability to reach nearly every geopolitical flashpoint in the world. as the importance of the arctic increases, how do you plan to advocate for alaska's role in national security? sarah: yeah, alaska has always played an outsized role in america's national security. it's because of our strategic location. we are the air crossroads of the world, and we have to make sure that our bases are well equipped, that they're well funded and that they're fully staffed. when it comes to arctic resources, for instance, what has been happening in our country for years is kind of this ignorance of what other countries are doing in claiming arctic resources that belong to us, to our people. russia, they've been literally, physically undersea flagging areas where they're claiming resources that again, they belong to us. and our administrations, present and past, have kind of ignored the issue. i believe that alaska's delegation has tried to bring it to light and let people understand how important it is that we become aggressive again. again, these are national security issues, aggressive in securing our national resources that other countries are thinking that they're going to claim. alaska has got to be even more vocal, more prominent, in this fight, in order to put alaska even brighter on the map when it comes to national security issues. and yeah, i get mocked for saying that you can see russia from alaska. well, you can. in the mid 80s, remember, lynn cox, she swam between to alaska, america and russia. so i'll take one for the team. i'll keep getting mocked for that, you guys. but we know how important alaska is because of our strategic location. >> nick begich, what else can you do to advocate for alaska's role in national security? nick: well, i think that as we see a militarization of the arctic, particularly within russia, we see a large presence established there. a number of former soviet union military installations have been reactivated in russia. we see a tremendous investment by both russia and china in terms of icebreakers to control and manage shipping routes that go right by our coastline. i think it's critical that if we're going to regain leadership in the arctic, we make incremental investments, not just in our military presence in the state of alaska, but also in our -- i'm sorry, that threw me off a little bit. but also in our hard infrastructure because if you're going to maintain a state this large, you're going to have to do so by having a population and a hard infrastructure that allows you to access the state , to have a robust economy, within the state, that permits you to hold the land. we are the least densely populated state in the country and we need economic growth in order to maintain our hold on alaska over the long term. mary: yeah, julie, we're all on the same page on this question firmly. sarah: suddenly everybody's phones are reacting to the answers. mary: i know. on the house finance committee, we had a rule if your cell phone went off, you had to buy donuts the next day. >> okay. mary: so maybe next monday, these folks will buy everybody some donuts. no,i am very, you know, back to this very serious question, during the cold war, after the cold war, a lot of our resources were withdrawn and a lot of the attention that was paid by the military in the arctic was ratcheted back and clearly this new tension that we're seeing in russia, increases, reminds us, we've got to strengthen ourselves in the military presence. we need increases in resources to the air force, the army, we need new resources from the navy here. i've got two sons who serve in the coast guard. one is in oregon, one is in florida. and i know they're not part of department of defense, but they are under homeland security they are a critical part of our homeland security. i think we need to invest in more icebreakers and really establish our firm presence in the arctic. and we are an arctic nation because of alaska. and, you know, the territorial guard was a really big presence here. the whole reason we have the alcan highway was because of our strategic location. so this is a part of our identity, and we need to enhance it and and strengthen ourselves as we go forward in this new dynamic internationally. thank you. >> okay, mary, i'm going to go ahead and start with you on this one. and you've answered part of it already, so i'm going to rewrite it this tiny bit. you're sending president biden home with a report card. what grade would you give him, and in the comments section, what would you say about how or where he might do better? mary: the chamber of commerce has always loved report cards. you guys are really attached to your report cards. i would give president biden a b- and that is because i like what the president has done to try to bring our country together. i will work with congress -- and he has worked with congress to pass the infrastructure bill, which really was a benefit for alaska and i'm thankful to our delegation for supporting that. and he has had a very firm stance against russia, regarding the invasion of ukraine. but i do think he has been slow to recognizethe impacts of inflation in our country, that's why i would give him a b-. >> sarah palin. sarah: and i'm from a family full of school teachers. i remember watching my dad late, late at night filling out report cards. and yeah, i agree that the chamber is kind of known for ratcheting down a lot of issues, and wanting us to paint a picture when it comes to report cards. now, with president biden, there are just too many issues that he is failing at. he couldn't even stay awake during discussion on this baby formula shortage. there are just too many important issues that it seems his advisors, or he himself, they're not taking seriously enough. and ultimately, that issue, that problem, is hurting alaskan families. i think that he has failed in too many areas. i'd have to give him that f on a report card. there are so many things that need to be improved upon and it's not too late for him to wake up, and listen to people who certainly have not just alaska's best interests, but american -- hard working family, our interest at heart. and there's so many things that he could be, should be doing, but thus far, it's been a failure. nick: so joe biden, unequivocally receives a grade of f. you know, every presidency is marked with challenges and opportunities. and how one responds to those challenges and opportunities is the measure by which one is graded. and he has failed on his promises to unite the nation, he has failed on his promises to increase the standard of living for americans, he's failed in his promises to grow the main street economy, he has picked winners and losers. and for those who are involved in industries that he views to be undesirable, you're out of luck. that's joe biden's america. we need to take back the house. we need to take back the senate. and in 2024, we need to take back the presidency and show alaska what it means to lead again. show america what it means to be strong again. i think this is critically important. and i will say, while he's failed to unite america in one respect, he's actually succeeded in another. we see the strongest level of support for the republican tickets in the generic bout that -- than we've seen in decades. as a result, i think the american people are ready for new leadership. i'm ready to help provide that leadership on your behalf down in washington d.c. >> all right, thank you. now we're going to do a few lightning round questions, and all you're going to do is give us a thumbs up or a thumbs down. there's a handful of them. there's about ten. so you guys ready? are your thumbs ready? okay, do you support the donlin gold project? conoco phillips willow project? developing anwar? the pebble project? [laughter] that's okay, you can have a sideways. do you support the build back better bill as currently drafted? do you support expanding the number of justices on the u.s. supreme court? do you support term limits for congress? should election day be a national holiday? all right, now a couple of fun ones. does your 15 year old self think you're cool? [laughter] oh, nick says yeah. and are dogs better than cats? okay, yeah, there was a boo. all right, before we go to closing statements, one last question for you. with alaska now having ranked choice voting, who will you rank second on your ballot? mary: it's a secret ballot, i'll never tell. sarah: yeah, really. that's a great answer. >> is that your answer, everybody? secret ballot? i'm just checking. any recommendations? nick: sarah palin. sarah: well, then i have to reciprocate. but i love her, too. [laughter] >> very good. okay, so now you each have one minute for your closing statement. sarah palin, we'll start with you. are you ready, the timer? okay, go ahead. sarah: i am just absolutely honored to even have the opportunity to run asking if i can represent you. if i'm not sent to dc, i'm going to keep on promoting alaska. this is my home. this is my life, other than family, faith, and freedom. for me, it's all about alaska. i love the state that much. i'm very, very, thankful that we have great candidates up here. you guys have good choices. kind of can't go wrong when it comes to sending those willing and able to d.c. to represent alaska's best interests. i'm just really happy to be a part of it. i would like that job. i would like to be able to work for you, and with you, making sure alaska's interests are put first. but if not, just know that, you know, life goes on and i'm gonna keep promoting alaska. and again, i'll keep taking one for the team out there on a national stage, even if i get mocked for bragging up alaska everywhere i go. >> nick begich? nick: at the end of the day, we have one representative in the u.s congress out of 435. that representative has to have the ability to work across the aisle and be a strong advocate for the state of alaska, and its strong potential, its role in solving so many of america's challenges. i believe we need to make a better business case for the state, and i believe when we do that, we'll be more effective, we'll open up more of alaska, we'll have economic prosperity that lasts for generations in the state. and i believe that's the promise that's brought so many people to alaska, that's made people so excited about the state for so long, and it's part of the mystique of alaska. what is possible, what is possible in the last frontier? what is north to the future really about? well, it's about our future, and we see an administration taking our future offline. we've got to do more, to be a strong advocate for what we know we can do up here. we do it right, we do it well. i want to be that voice for you down in d.c. and i'd appreciate your first place vote as we head in to this august special general election. thank you. >> mary peltola, your closing statement. mary: thank you. i was born and raised in alaska. i have a long history here. my family has a long history here. i have a vested interest in our state. i served in the legislature for 10 years. i've had many jobs that have afforded me the opportunity to travel throughout our state. i've been to dutch harbor, i've been to barrow, i you know, southeast throughout the state. and when i served in the legislature, i was on the finance committee, resources committee, health and education and social services. i was on the budget subcommittees for corrections and courts. i have worked in the private sector for six years. i've worked in the nonprofit sector and the reason i'm running is because i've got seven kids, and their future is also in alaska. we all collectively have a vested interest in our state. i want to serve all alaskans regardless of party, regardless of gender, and regardless of ethnicity. i believe in one alaska. thank you. >> thank you and can we give the candidates a round of applause? [applause] >> wyoming republican health care. it is up for reelection. she holds the only health seat in the state. she recently participated in a debate with a republican remarried challengers. we will show that to you later today at 6:45 eastern time on cease and. this week, we've been showing all the january 6 committee hearings in prime time. tonight, the fifth hearing. with testimony about president trump's pressure campaign against the justice department. to investigate the allegations of election fraud. watch on c-span at 8:00. you can also watch anytime online at c-span.org. >> c-span brings you an unfiltered view of government. our newsletter word for word allows -- recaps the day for you -- daily press we things to remarks from the president. scan the qr code to sign